Environmental Factors

Alcohol Use Polygenic Risk Score, Social Support, and Alcohol Use among European American and African American Adults

Posted on March 22, 2024 by Priscille Myrthil-Harder

Alcohol consumption is impacted by a combination of genetic predispositions and environmental influences. We investigated how genome-wide polygenic risk scores for alcohol use (alc-PRS) interact with the level of social support among individuals of European American (EA) and African American (AA) descent, across various age groups ranging from emerging adulthood to middle adulthood. Our analysis […]

Predictors of Risk and Resilience for Future Alcohol Problems Associated with a Low Level of Response to Alcohol

Posted on February 21, 2024 by Priscille Myrthil-Harder

Researchers investigated future prevention protocols for reducing heavy drinking and alcohol-related issues in individuals with a low response to alcohol, a genetically influenced risk factor for recurring alcohol problems. Recent research has shown that addressing factors such as associating with heavy drinking peers, holding inaccurate beliefs about the benefits of heavy drinking, and using alcohol […]

A Critical Review Of Ethanol Effects On Neuronal Firing: A Metabolic Perspective

Posted on February 3, 2024 by Priscille Myrthil-Harder

The metabolism of ethanol within neurons has been an area of relative understudy, notwithstanding the recognized influence of alterations in neuronal metabolism on their functional activity. Recent investigations indicate a preferential utilization of ethanol over glucose as a carbon and energy source by neurons, inducing a reprogramming effect that leads to a diminished energy potential […]

Genomic Analysis Of 1.5 Million People Uncovers Genes Related To Addiction, Antisocial Behavior, And Disease

Posted on January 10, 2024 by Priscille Myrthil-Harder

Externalizing behaviors encompass a range of traits tied to self-regulation, like substance use disorders and childhood behavior problems, significantly influencing an individual’s life path. Previous research hinted at a shared genetic inclination for these behaviors, yet a comprehensive study to identify the responsible genes on a large scale was absent. This study delves […]

The Collaborative Study On The Genetics Of Alcoholism: Functional Genomics.

Posted on December 7, 2023 (January 9, 2024) by Priscille Myrthil-Harder

The Collaborative Study on the Genetics of Alcoholism (COGA) has been exploring these elements and has identified potential genes associated with the risk of Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) through comprehensive genetic studies. In this fifth section, COGA continues with its investigation, by further diving into how genetics affect the body’s function in the context of AUD. COGA […]

The Collaborative Study on the Genetics of Alcoholism: Brain Function

Posted on November 30, 2023 by Priscille Myrthil-Harder

Alcohol use disorder and its related health problems come from a mix of genes, brain activity, and environment, affecting people differently as they grow. In this section, COGA has looked at how the brain works in relation to alcohol use risks and problems. They use brain tests and family info to separate the risks linked […]

The Collaborative Study On The Genetics Of Alcoholism: Genetics

Posted on November 15, 2023 (November 15, 2023) by Priscille Myrthil-Harder

This review presents a comprehensive evaluation of genetic methodologies and findings stemming from the family-centered Collaborative Study on the Genetics of Alcoholism (COGA). COGA’s primary objective was to identify genes influencing the susceptibility to alcohol use disorder (AUD) and its related complications. Notably, COGA was an early adopter of genome-wide association studies (GWAS) while also […]

The Collaborative Study On The Genetics Of Alcoholism: Sample and Clinical Data

Posted on November 8, 2023 (November 8, 2023) by Priscille Myrthil-Harder

This article offers an overview of the methodologies offered in collecting data for the COGA study and also dives into the characteristics of the study sample and clinical information. This is a second installment of a 5 paper series. The Collaborative Study on the Genetics of Alcoholism (COGA) is a comprehensive multidisciplinary research initiative aimed at […]

Genomic Risk For Post-traumatic Stress Disorder In Families Densely Affected With Alcohol Use Disorders

Posted on August 17, 2023 (August 15, 2023) by Priscille Myrthil-Harder

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a condition that occurs after experiencing a traumatic event. Although many people are exposed to trauma, only a small percentage develop PTSD. Studies that look at the entire genome (genome-wide association studies or GWAS) have found specific genetic signs related to PTSD in both civilian and military groups. However, studies […]

Upregulated GIRK2 Counteracts Ethanol-induced Changes In Excitability And Respiration In Human Neurons

Posted on August 10, 2023 by Priscille Myrthil-Harder

This research identified specific genetic variations in the KCNJ6 gene linked to changes in brain activity measured through electroencephalogram (EEG) frontal theta event-related oscillations (θ-EROs) during cognitive tasks. These variations are associated with alcohol use disorder (AUD) and are considered to be a sign of susceptibility to AUD. The KCNJ6 gene encodes the GIRK2 protein, […]